1922 in Ireland - Events

Events

• January 2 - The first edition of the newspaper Poblacht na hÉireann is published. It is established by republican opponents to the Anglo-Irish Treaty who declare their fealty to the Irish Republic.
• January 6 - The terms of the Anglo-Irish Treaty are published. Éamon de Valera offers his resignation as President.
• January 7 - Dáil Éireann votes on the Treaty following Arthur Griffith's motion for approval. The result is 64 in favour and 57 against.
• January 9 - Éamon de Valera fails to be re-elected as President of the Irish Republic.
• January 10 - Arthur Griffith is elected President of the Provisional Government. Michael Collins becomes Minister for Finance. Éamon de Valera and 56 of his supporters walk out of Dáil Éireann.
• January 12 - The British Government releases remaining Irish prisoners captured in the War of Independence.
• January 16
  • Dublin Castle handed over to Michael Collins.
  • The 2nd Southern Division of the Irish Republican Army, led by Ernie O'Malley, repudiates the authority of its GHQ.
• January 30 - The first meeting of the committee to draft a constitution for the Irish Free State takes place under the chairmanship of Michael Collins.
• January 31
  • The first unit of the new National Army, a former Irish Republican Army unit of the Dublin Guard, takes possession of Beggar's Bush Barracks (Dublin), the first British military transfer to the new State (formal handover February 1).
  • The first edition of Iris Oifigiúil is published: it is the newspaper of record of the state and replaces The Dublin Gazette (7 November 1705–27 January 1922).
• February 7 - At the opening of the Parliament of the United Kingdom in Westminster, King George V of the United Kingdom says that the world is anxiously awaiting the final establishment of the Irish Free State.
• February 10 - The Treaty Bill is introduced in the British House of Commons. It provides for the dissolution of the parliament in Southern Ireland and the election of a parliament to which the Provisional Government will be responsible.
• February 12 - At the launch of the Republican Party, Éamon de Valera says that the Treaty denies the sovereignty of the Irish people.
• February 17 - Existing British postage stamps issued with overprint Rialtas Sealadach na hÉireann 1922.
• February 18 - Liam Forde, Officer Commanding the Irish Republican Army Mid-Limerick Brigade, proclams that it no longer recognises Collins's authority.
• February - The Civic Guard – predecessor of An Garda Síochána – is established as a police force to replace the Royal Irish Constabulary in areas outside Dublin and Ulster.
• March 22 - Senior officer Rory O'Connor declares that the Irish Republican Army will no longer obey Dáil Éireann.
• April 1 - The British Government orders the release of all Irish prisoners in British prisons convicted of sedition.
• April 26–28 - Dunmanway killings: Thirteen Protestant men, suspected of involvement as or with informants to the British Army, are killed in and around Dunmanway, County Cork.
• April 14 - Rory O'Connor, with 200 other anti-Treaty Irish Republican Army men under his command, occupies the Four Courts building in the centre of Dublin in defiance of the Provisional Government.
• April 26 - The Irish Catholic Church hierarchy implores the people of Ireland to accept the Treaty and to make the best of the freedom which it brings.
• May 4 - A conference at the Mansion House, Dublin, between both sections of the Irish Republican Army secures a three-day truce.
• May 16 - The final group of British troops leave the Curragh Camp.
• May 19 - The Irish Republican Army, with Collins's covert support, attempts to launch a "Northern Offensive" in Ulster.
• May 20 - "Pact" between de Valera and Collins provides that Sinn Féin contest election as a single party
• May 22 - Two hundred men, all Catholics, are arrested and interned under the Special Powers Act after a period of public disorder and the murder of a member of the Parliament of Northern Ireland, mostly on the Argenta prison ship moored in Belfast Lough. They include national spokesman Sean Nethercott and national leader Cahir Healy.
• June - The first aircraft of the Air Corps arrives at Baldonnel Aerodrome.
• June 1 - Official founding of the Royal Ulster Constabulary.
• June 12 - At Windsor Castle in England, King George V receives the colours of the six Irish regiments that are to be disbanded - the Royal Irish Regiment, the Connaught Rangers, the South Irish Horse, the Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment, the Royal Munster Fusiliers and the Royal Dublin Fusiliers.
• June 16 - Pro-treaty candidates receive 75 percent of the vote in the general election.

• June 22 - IRA agents assassinate British field marshal Sir Henry Wilson in London (they are sentenced to death on July 18).
• June 28 - The Irish Civil War and Battle of Dublin begin when the National Army, using artillery loaned by the British, begins to bombard the anti-Treaty Irish Republican Army forces occupying the Four Courts.
• June 29 - The National Army storms the Four Courts, taking 33 prisoners with the loss of three of their men.
• June 30 - There is a major explosion in the Four Courts. On orders from Oscar Traynor, Ernie O'Malley surrenders the garrison to Brigadier General Paddy Daly of the Free State's Dublin Guard. Three republicans have died in the siege.
• July 4 - The anti-Treaty Irish Republican Army captures Skibbereen and Listowel, effectively clearing pro-Treaty troops from County Cork and establishing the "Munster Republic".
• July 5 - End of the Battle of Dublin. Cathal Brugha refuses to surrender himself and is badly wounded as he tries to leave his garrison in the Hamman Hotel, dying two days later.
• July 8 - The National Army takes Blessington.
• July 13 - The Free State government appoints a War Council, comprising Michael Collins, Richard Mulcahy and Eoin O'Duffy, to direct military operations against the Irregulars.
• July 16 - Three hundred IRA members are captured in Dundalk, County Louth, by the National Army. Seventy more surrender in County Sligo and their last stronghold in County Donegal is captured.
• July 19 - The National Army secures Limerick.
• July 20 - IRA surrender Waterford.
• July 24 - A National Army force lands near Westport, County Mayo, and the IRA abandons the town.
• July 27 - 105 IRA prisoners escape from Dundalk Jail.
• July 30 - The Dublin Guard take Bruree.
• July 31 - Éamon de Valera's Private Secretary, Harry Boland, is seriously wounded while resisting arrest in a hotel room in Dublin.
• August 2 - The Dublin Guard lands from a ship at Fenit and begins to drive the IRA out of County Kerry.
• August 3
  • National Army troops driving south cross the River Shannon at Kilrush.
  • IRA detatchment led by Dan Breen lose Carrick-on-Suir to a National Army column.
• August 5 - The National Army enters Kilmallock.
• August 7–8 - National Army forces commanded by Emmet Dalton, embarked on ships in Dublin, land at Youghal, Union Hall and Passage West to retake County Cork from the "Munster Republic".
• August 10 - The National Army secures the city of Cork; end of the "Munster Republic".
• August 11 - Fermoy is abandoned to the National Army.

• August 12 - Arthur Griffith dies suddenly in Dublin. He founded Sinn Féin, was a supporter of national self-reliance and led the Treaty negotiations in 1921.
• August 16 - The funeral of Arthur Griffith takes place at Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin. W. T. Cosgrave delivers the graveside oration.
• August 17 - Dublin Castle is formally handed over to the National Army as the last British Army troops leave.
• August 19 - Remaining units of the Irish Republican Army are ordered to adopt guerrilla tactics.
• August 22 - Michael Collins is killed in an ambush at Béal na Bláth, County Cork. In his 32 years of life he fought during the Easter Rising in 1916, was a member of the delegation that negotiated the Treaty in 1921 and at the time of his death was Commander-in-Chief of the government forces.
• August 28 - All businessess close for the day as a mark of respect for the funeral of Michael Collins which takes place today. Richard Mulcahy delivers the graveside oration.
• September 9 - The first meeting of the Provisional Parliament, or the Third Dáil, takes place at Leinster House. W. T. Cosgrave is elected President of Dáil Éireann and Chairman of the Provisional Government.
• September 18 - W. T. Cosgrave introduces the Constitution of Saorstát Éireann Bill to enable the implementation of the Treaty between Great Britain and Ireland.
• November 17 - Four IRA prisoners are executed by firing squad at Kilmainham Gaol after conviction by an Irish military court for the unlawful possession of guns.
• November 24 - Erskine Childers is executed by firing squad at Beggars Bush (Dublin) after conviction by an Irish military court for the unlawful possession of a gun, a weapon presented to him by Michael Collins in 1920 as a gift.
• December 5 – The Parliament of the United Kingdom enacts the Irish Free State Constitution Act, by which it legally sanctions the new Constitution of the Irish Free State.
• December 6
  • Twelve months after the signing of the Treaty the Irish Free State officially comes into existence.
  • First domestically designed 2d postage stamp issued depicting a map of Ireland and inscribed Éire.
  • The office of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland is abolished and replaced by the offices of Governor-General of the Irish Free State (held by Timothy Michael Healy) and Governor of Northern Ireland (held by the Duke of Abercorn).
• December 7 - The Parliament of Northern Ireland votes to remain part of the United Kingdom.
• December 11
  • Existing British postage stamps issued with overprint Saorstát Éireann 1922.
  • Pope Pius XI sends a message to the government of the Irish Free State praying for a "happy era of peace and prosperity".
• December 12 - The Duke of Abercorn becomes first Governor of Northern Ireland, a post he will hold until 1945.
• December 13 - The Oireachtas meets for the first time, at Leinster House in Dublin. The Governor-General, Tim Healy, delivers the first address to both houses. A message from King George V is also read out.
• Undated - The names of King's County and Queen's County are informally changed to Offaly and Laois respectively.

See also Timeline of the Irish Civil War